


Cat Tails with Peko and Rantaro - Part 1

by Alice_h



Series: Cat Tails [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 12:33:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17406977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alice_h/pseuds/Alice_h
Summary: Cat Tails is a handful of short stories about Peko Pekoyama and Rantaro Amami running a cat sanctuary on an island. They're often joined by friends from Hope's Peak as they go about their life of saving and looking after cats.





	Cat Tails with Peko and Rantaro - Part 1

A warm sun rose above the horizon, heralding a new day on the island of Felinia. The island, a small circular bit of land a short distance off the south coast of Japan, was well-known for its large population of cats, a distinction that made it stand out from the nearby isles. It was on this island, that two friends created a sanctuary for their favourite feline friends.

Peko and Rantaro were alumni of Hope’s Peak Academy, an élite school where each student is selected for their proficiency in their chosen field. For Peko Pekoyama, this was her skill in swordsmanship, whereas Rantaro Amami’s passion was adventuring. From his very first boat trip at a young age, he had loved travelling and exploring the world.  
It was Rantaro’s love of adventuring and capturing the moment in all corners of the globe that brought them together. After returning from the Mediterranean, Rantaro was showing some of his classmates images of cats he found on a small island. Peko had intended on ignoring it and walking on by – she didn’t care about animals, she told herself - but the moment she caught a glimpse of the small furry ball, her heart warmed. She struck up a conversation with the adventurer, and they soon became friends.

Several months later, Rantaro returned from a small trip exploring the islands off the southern coast of Honshu. He rushed into Peko’s classroom before the homeroom class started and crashed through an empty desk to get to her. With frenzied delight, he told the swordswoman about another island he’d found that was full of cats. Both students were captivated and resolved to set up their own cat sanctuary on the island.

And so, a few years later, that is exactly what they did. The two had a house erected on the island, which they expanded to have several rooms dedicated to the cats, which came and went as they pleased. Having devoted their lives to helping out the native cats on the island, as well as rescuing cats from across the country, they woke each morning to a sense of accomplishment, as well as a couple of cats sleeping on their beds.  
Peko was the first to rise as usual. Starting early was etched into her as part of her training, and she was rarely asleep past 6am. Like every day, she went downstairs, put some coffee on, and began the lengthy process of feeding the cats in their home. Although she was able to remember which cats ate which food, Rantaro was a little more absent-minded and often got it mixed up, so Peko preferred to do this alone. The moment she filled the first bowl, she was mobbed by half a dozen purring cats.

“Wait your turn,” she chided the others, quietly, “Especially you, Ozzy,” she said to a small tortoiseshell that was trying his best to stick his nose into the can. Despite the other moggies’ best efforts, Peko continued to dole out breakfast one by one. As she finished, she heard the sound of the adventurer rushing down the stairs, followed by an enthusiastic “Goooood moooorrrrrning Peko!”

“Rantaro,” she responded, “Good morning. I hope you slept well?”

“Absolutely! I slept meow-vellously”

Peko stared blankly, while Rantaro wore a goofy grin on his face. An awkward silence fell for a few seconds, before Rantaro broke through it.

“Meow? Like a cat?”

“Oh, yes. I get it,” replied Peko, “I’ve finished doing their breakfast, so I’m going to go and train in the forest. There’s a fresh pot of coffee for you on the side,”

“Amazing,” beamed Rantaro, “Enjoy your training!”

“Yes,” she replied, before bowing slightly and leaving the room. She picked up the sheath containing her bamboo sword from the hallway and exited the house through the front door. 

Although she truly enjoyed the work she did with Rantaro, Peko did like the respite that training gave her. She could spend some time alone with nature and focus her mind. She had a favourite spot in a forest clearing that was about 10 minutes’ walk from their house. The walk itself was calming as well, and Peko often thought about some of the cats that lived with them, which made her smile. 

On arrival at the clearing, she set her sword down on the floor and began to focus. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and listened to the quiet forest. But this time, something was amiss. She could hear a faint meowing, which was strange, as there were no cats in this part of the forest. Had one followed her here? Peko began to search, using the sound to guide herself. She looked in bushes and behind rocks, before…did that sound come from above? She peered up into a tree and found what she was looking for. A thin, grey tabby sat on a branch that must have been 20 feet or more in the air.

“Oh, my goodness,” exclaimed Peko, and she immediately began to climb the tree to save the cat. She managed to get a couple of footholds, but the tree’s smooth bark and lack of lower branches conspired against her, and she quickly slid back to the ground. Immediately, Peko began to run back to the house.

“I’ll go and get help!” she said to the cat, before reminding herself that it couldn’t understand what she was saying. 

At the house, Rantaro was finishing a cup of coffee as the swordswoman burst through the door, the loud crash making him jump.

“Whoa, what’s all the hubbub about?” he queried.

“Stuck…cat….tree,” panted Peko, trying to get her breath back.

“A tree got stuck in a cat?!” exclaimed Rantaro, “That seems unlikely. Unless…”

Peko nodded.

“There’s a cat stuck in a tree? That’s even worse! I’ll get a ladder.”

“No,” retorted Peko, “It’s too high for our ladders. I tried to climb, but the tree is impossible to climb up.”

Rantaro looked concerned, before a flicker of inspiration swept him. He smiled and spoke reassuringly, “It’s not impossible for everyone….”

He reached for his phone and dialled a number.

“Hello? It’s Rantaro…. We need your help. I’m coming in the boat to bring you over; can you be at the pier in twenty minutes?.... Yes…. Yes… I’ll see you then. Thank you so much.”  
The adventurer put his phone into his pocket and rushed towards the door.

“Help is on the way, don’t worry, Peko.”  
_______________________________  
A worry-filled hour later, Peko heard a key in the door, and jumped up. Rantaro appeared first, before a much taller boy came into view behind him, his well-built, muscular body and long flowing brown hair a complete contrast to Rantaro’s slim frame and shorter blond locks. The boy had concerned but warm smile across his face, which put Peko at ease. She knew that the Super High School Level Entomologist was always willing to help.

“Peko,” he began, “Rantaro said you need help with cat. Gonta is here, and Gonta always help friends.”

“Thank you, Gonta,” she replied, “Please. Follow me.”

The three of them wasted no time in rushing down to the clearing. The cat was still stuck and was clearly very scared. The sight of it made Peko’s heart jump, and she whispered to herself ‘Please be OK’.

Rantaro pointed to the stricken feline, “Do you think you can climb that tree, Gonta?”

“Yes! Gonta spent all his childhood climbing trees looking for bugs. Even though Gonta a gentleman now, Gonta still remember how to climb.”

The two cat rescuers stood back as Gonta approached the tree. With impressive nimbleness, he shimmied up the lower part of the tree, until he was able to grip on to some of the higher branches. Peko was amazed at how someone of Gonta’s size was able to be so athletic and agile, and it was no time before the entomologist was within arm’s reach of the cat.

He looked down and triumphantly shouted to them, “GONTA FO-“

The cat startled at the loud noise. All three of them gasped as it began to fall. Peko looked away, not wanting to see what happened next. She listened to the silence, which was broken by an audible sigh of relief from Rantaro. With trepidation, she looked up at the tree, seeing Gonta holding onto the branch with one arm, and holding a grey ball of fur in the other.

A smile crept across Peko’s face. Rantaro noticed and smiled back, which made her embarrassed, so she forced a more stoic expression to return. Moments later, Gonta returned to the ground, jumping the last few feet and landing with a thud. He turned around, holding the cat in his arms. It looked so tiny compared to the entomologist, but his arms made a very comfortable bed.

Rantaro ran over, “Thank you Gonta, thank you so much.”

“It’s OK. Gonta always want to help friends. And cats.”

“Now,” Rantaro turned his attention to the grey lump Gonta was holding, “Let’s get you home and check you over.”  
_________________________  
Back at the house, Rantaro and Gonta readied a cat bed, while Peko checked it over for any injuries.

“She’s fine,” confirmed Peko, “A little shaken and quite skinny, but in quite good health otherwise.”

Rantaro shot her a smile, “Nothing a bit of TLC won’t cure, and maybe a good sleep. Her bed’s ready.”

Nobody moved or said anything for a short while.

“Peko, her bed’s ready," he repeated.

“Oh, oh of course,” stammered Peko, “I was just…I was quite enjoying giving her a cuddle. They’re so warm.”

Rantaro said nothing and grinned to himself. Gonta gently stroked the cat in Peko’s arms as she carried it over to the bed.

“Oh!” he exclaimed quietly, “Does cat have a name?”

“No, not yet,” replied Peko, as she carefully laid the tabby down.

“Maybe you’d like to name it, Gonta?” suggested Rantaro, “Seeing as you saved it and all. It seems fair.”

Gonta stood, deep in thought. “How about Stick? Gonta loves stick insects, and they are always in the trees.”

“Stick…” Rantaro mulled, “I love it! Her name is Stick. What do you think Peko? Isn’t it purrrr-fect?”

“It’s very suitable,” Peko confirmed.

“Would you say purrrr-fect?” grinned Rantaro

“I can see the logic behind it.”

The adventurer sighed and rolled his eyes, “One day…” he said, under his breath.

Leaving Stick snoozing comfortably, the three friends began their walk to the landing stage, so Rantaro could take Gonta back to the mainland. On the way, Gonta entertained the two of them with an excited tale of a new species of bug he had discovered the previous week. The entomologist was so enthusiastic that he was still shouting about the bug to Peko as the boat was leaving.

When they had disappeared out of sight, Peko walked back, feeling contented. They had saved Stick today, and that gave her a huge sense of wellbeing – it was why she had set up the sanctuary in the first place. Rescuing and saving cats was one of the greatest things in her life – although, she noted to herself, she still hadn’t done her training. Maybe she could stay out just a little bit longer.


End file.
